Enhanced Counter-pulsation Therapy: A Non-invasive Treament Modality for Cardiovascular Patients

Abstract

India accounts for approximately 60% of the world’s heart disease burden,¹ despite having less than 20% of the world’s population. According to Global Burden of Disease study state age-standardized CVD death rate is 272 per 100000 population in India that is much higher than that of global average of 235. CVDs strike Indians a decade earlier than the western population.² For us Indians, particular causes of concern in CVD are early age of onset, rapid progression and high mortality rate. At present the definitive treatment for unstable angina, non-ST elevation myocardial ischemia and ST elevation myocardial ischemia is invasive treatment of stent placement or coronary artery bypass graft in blocked coronary arteries followed by lifelong medical treatment besides the life style modification. Limitations of each of these approaches include: adverse drug effects, procedure-related mortality and morbidity, restenosis after PCI, and time dependent graft attrition after CABG. Furthermore, an increasing number of patients are not appropriate candidates for standard revascularization options, due to co-morbid conditions (HF, peripheral vascular disease), poor distal coronary artery targets, and patient preference. The morbidity and mortality associated with repeat surgical revascularization procedures are significantly higher, and often excludes these patients from consideration for further revascularizations.³ Patients with CAD who have chronic ischemic symptoms that are unresponsive to both conventional medical therapy and revascularization techniques have refractory angina pectoris.⁴ Read more . . .